


Trollhunters One Shots

by Excavalion



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons), Trollhunters (Cartoon), Trollhunters - Daniel Kraus & Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Major Character Injury, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Blinky (Trollhunters), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Troll Jim Lake Jr.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-24 15:25:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21980116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Excavalion/pseuds/Excavalion
Summary: A collection of various Trollhunters one shots I've written! There's lots of Jlaire, and angst and fluff- especially Jim angst. Some of them take place before season three and some after. There also a few AU's mixed in. I hope you enjoy!(Title is subject to change)
Relationships: Jim Lake Jr./Claire Nuñez
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	1. The Sound Of Thunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter, whoo! I realized that Claire probably doesn't know what happened to Jim on his birthday, so I decided to write a scenario where she finds out. And I can't be the only one who thinks that there should have been more consequences to Jim getting struck by lightning than just, "This is why I hate birthdays", right? Then again, it is a kid's show (ha). Anyway, enjoy!

Fear was a strange thing. 

Many people had different interpretations of the word and it’s meaning- usually based upon their own experiences. Fear for Jim meant losing his friends; fear meant Gunmar and Bular and everything else that lurked in the shadows, just waiting to dig their claws into his skin and pull him under. Fear meant imminent danger with a very high chance of death and a low chance of survival. However, Jim had come to realize fear wasn’t just danger- it was a residual feeling of anxiety and panic that would spike when re-faced with something that had previously made his stomach twist and his blood freeze in fright. 

An ominous boom of thunder echoed tauntingly outside the room and Jim clutched at his chest, his heart beating sporadically. _Fear_ was the memory of electricity coursing through his body, heat boiling his blood and singing the tips of his hair as he fell from the sky, lightning sparking across his vision in a brilliant array of dangerous light. That moment, the fight that happened so long ago on his sixteenth birthday, haunted him like the sound of thunder to lightning. That night had _terrified_ him. He’d been completely alone thousands of feet in the air, soaked to the bone and being carried ever higher by a winged beast that desperately wanted him dead.

Getting himself struck by lightning was an extremely impulsive and painful idea, but at the time he couldn’t think of anything better. While he didn’t necessarily regret the action, the pain of it came back like a ghost with a vengeance whenever he heard the familiar rumble of thunder in the distance. It was a stupid thing to fear- he’d faced _Gunmar_ and lived to tell the tale, yet when he went to sleep at night it was _lightning_ that had him screaming himself awake. Some Trollhunter he was.

Another roll of thunder startled Jim out of his thoughts and he glanced at the water-streaked window, past the rain pelting the glass, and at the dark sky outside. Black clouds crowded the sky, only illuminated by the lightning that would occasionally strike through them and shock the ground. It wasn’t quiet in the room by a long shot, not with the rain drumming on the roof and the thunder every so often, but Jim’s harsh breathing and beating heart made everything else sound like a mere whisper. Fingers brushed his arm and he jumped with a strangled gasp, his blue eyes darting from the window to focus on Claire’s worried brown ones. He tried to calm his shaking with an embarrassed huff as Claire continued to watch him carefully, her face scrunched. He’d almost forgotten she was even there- despite it being _her_ house that he was currently in. “Sorry,” He croaked quietly. “I didn’t- did I- Uh… when did you wake up?” Jim smiled awkwardly and Claire furrowed her brow in concern. Her hair was messed up from sleep, the dark brown strands sticking up around her face, and she glanced out at the window where he’d been staring, then looked back at him- trying to piece together his panicked reaction. “I… just did.” She responded lamely. 

Light filled the room for a split second as lightning flashed outside, and Jim’s hand twitched in its place resting on his chest. He didn’t want to react too badly and concern Claire- though she already seemed to be suspicious. Claire caught the movement despite Ajim holding himself back and frowned. “What’s wrong?” She asked sweetly and Jim covered his surprised, “Uh-“ with an impromptu cough. _Nice one_. “There’s- nothing wrong, ah- w-why would you think there’s something wrong?” He replied quickly, biting his tongue to keep himself from continuing his rushed, and frankly horrible, excuse. Claire sat up from her position laying beside him and reached down to run a hand through his hair comfortingly, brushing the black strands from his tired and bloodshot eyes. “Jim,” She started slowly, and he sucked in a nervous breath of air through his teeth. “Please don’t try to hide things from me. I won’t judge you, I promise- but I can’t help if you don’t tell me anything.” Jim sighed and looked back over to the blurry window, afraid to meet Claire’s eyes and see the hurt he knew was in them. He didn’t want to hide things from her, of course not, but…

Claire placed her hand on his cheek and tilted his head back towards her. “Please?” She begged, and Jim’s lips twitched up into a sad smile. He could never deny her anything. He pushed his hands on the bed and sat up with her, leaning his back against the wall. He continued to sit there for a second, afraid to start, but Claire waited patiently. She was willing to give him all the time in the world. “I guess… I’m afraid of lightning?” He admitted, cringing. He’d never told anyone about his embarrassing fear and it sounded even worse out loud.

He waited a second, and Claire scooted closer, grabbing his hand in hers and intertwining their fingers. She didn’t say anything, so Jim took the silence as permission to continue. “It’s stupid I know, especially with all the things we’ve faced, but last year on my sixteenth birthday… I got dragged into the sky by a stalkling and struck by lightning,” He felt her stiffen beside him with a sharp intake of breath, her hand tightening in his, but she still didn’t say anything. “Now, whenever I hear thunder or see lightning I’m just… brought back to that night.” He ended. It was something he tried to ignore for a long time, but whenever a storm came around he just… couldn’t. 

Jim watched her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction to his story. She remained quiet, a slight frown on her face as she watched him. Another beat of silence passed between them and Jim grew worried. “Claire…?” He prompted, and she blinked. “It’s not stupid,” She finally replied, and Jim felt a tad disappointed at the less than convincing response. She said she wouldn’t judge him, but... “Oh…” He sighed, biting his lip. Claire huffed awkwardly. “No, that’s not what I- Jim, I’m sorry I’m just surprised is all.” She explained guiltily. She grabbed both his hands and brought them up to her face, her eyes boring into his intensely. “You- you were ‘ _struck by lightning’?_ ” She restated softly and Jim nodded nervously. “Yeah, that’s- that’s what I said…” He mumbled with a half-hearted chuckle.

Claire shook her head sadly and released his hands to lunge forward and hug him tightly, her face pressed into his chest. He jumped in surprise before wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her shoulder. Her body was warm against his and he relished in her comforting presence over the cold and harsh storm outside. “I had no idea, Jim,“ She whispered sadly, her voice muffled in his shirt. “I’m so sorry.” Claire clutched her hands in his shirt, the fabric bunching underneath her fingers. Jim laughed quietly and hugged her tighter, her dark brown hair tickling his cheeks. “You don’t need to be sorry, it was a while ago now…” He said. He didn’t admit his fear to her just so she would end up feeling sorry for him. He hated seeing her beautiful face twisted in sadness. 

Claire pulled back slightly, and his arms dropped to her waist. Her eyes searched his face for a moment before she raised her hand to rub her fingers over his cheek lovingly. “What happened to the stalkling?” She asked. “The lightning turned it to stone. I’m… I’m sorry I never told you.” He answered, looking away. Truth be told he had blocked the memory from his mind and had no intentions of telling Claire, but she was his girlfriend and he felt she deserved to know.

Claire shook her head. “You don’t need to apologize, Jim- I’m just glad you told me.” She answered honestly. Jim nodded and Claire leaned back against the wall with him, resting her head on his shoulder. They sat together in a comfortable silence, neither of them talking. However, Jim struggled to prevent himself from jumping at every sudden flash of lightning that lit up the purple room. He was almost convinced Claire was asleep until she finally said something about his constant twitching. “Do you think you can fall back asleep?” She asked him, now playing absentmindedly with the end of his shirt. Jim laughed sarcastically. Sleep was the farthest thing from his mind. “Not really… There’s no way I can ignore the storm enough to do so.” He replied, already having been trying to calm down for the past few minutes.

Claire rubbed his side comfortingly and shrugged. “Then I’ll stay up with you,” She said earnestly and he smiled gratefully. She should get some sleep too, but Jim knew from experience that she was just as stubborn as he was. He’d learned that the hard way. No amount of convincing on his part was going to get her to just go back to sleep- especially when he was still in distress. He rolled his eyes in amusement, but was touched by how much she cared about him. Sleep was important, after all- not that he got much of it himself. Jim was again reminded of the storm outside with another clap of thunder, and he shot the window an uneasy glance. The rain seemed like it was pouring harder now than it was earlier, the sound terrifyingly reminding him of what the rain sounded like hitting the stalkling’s stone scales, but Jim’s worrying was stopped in its tracks as Claire rested a hand on his chest above his heart. 

“Stop,” She whispered. Jim raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Stop… what?” He asked and she rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean- stop worrying.” Claire scooted closer to him. “You don’t have to be scared, I’m right here. Just pay attention to me and forget everything else.” She reasoned and Jim sighed. It sure was a tempting offer. “I can try,” He replied cautiously and she nodded happily, her brown eyes sparkling. “Give me your hand,” Claire prompted and he did. She strokes her fingers over his knuckles smoothly and repeated the action, marking a soothing pattern on his skin. “Just… focus on me.” She repeated and Jim tried, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He did his best to block out the storm and the sound of the rain, instead paying attention to the warmth of Claire’s hand in his and her heat radiating against his side.

Jim relaxed against her, his head falling onto her shoulder, and she squeezed his hand tighter. Slowly the sounds outside slipped his mind, his thoughts growing muddled as he began to fall asleep. It was warm and comforting, wrapped in the arms of the girl he loved more than anything, and he whispered a small, “Thank you,” to his Juliet next to him. Claire used her other hand to begin running her fingers through his hair again, messing with the dark strands. “Anytime, Jim.” She murmured back, and he finally fell back asleep- despite the storm still raging outside. Claire continued to rub Jim’s hand and play with his hair long after he fell asleep. His breaths were soft and even against her collarbone, and she let him subconsciously soak in the feeling of complete safety he was so rarely granted. It was a while before she too fell asleep, her hand dropping to his side and her cheek pressed into his hair. 

When the next boom of thunder echoed through the room, the windows shaking from the deep vibrations, Jim didn’t so much as flinch. 


	2. In Our Times To Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Guess who was ruined by season three? Yup- me! After watching the last episode I had to write what I imagined Claire's thoughts to be like during that scene. So, voila! Enjoy!

____________________

Her friends press in on her in relived excitement, their faces bright as they laugh. _‘We did it_ ,’ Claire thinks proudly. _‘We really did it.’_ Morgana, the Great Witch and Eldritch Queen herself, is finally gone for good. Blinky slings an arm across her shoulders and shakes her lightly. “Morgana’s magic has finally been defeated, thanks to you, Claire!” He exclaims with a sharp-toothed grin. Claire smiles back and laughs. “No,” She responds breathlessly. “Thanks to all of us.” After all, she barely did anything. They all worked together to defeat Morgana- Claire just did the last step. However, they owe the biggest thanks to the true Trollhunter. If it wasn’t for him, they would have a lot more problems to deal with. 

Claire’s relieved thoughts suddenly stop dead in their tracks and her smile slips off her face- a look of pure horror replacing it instead. _How could they have forgotten?_

Claire’s brown eyes search frantically over the bridge and various broken pieces of cement before landing on familiar armor- the figure laying still on the ground a few feet away. “Jim!” She shouts in fear, her feet slipping underneath herself as she scrambles to a standing position. Jim had jumped in front of them to protect them from Morgana’s magic, but that couldn’t have killed him, right? Claire runs as fast as she can to her boyfriend’s side, nearly tripping over rocks and other debris along the way. He has to be fine _,_ _right?_ She drops to her knees beside him, her hand hovering over the black armor on his back, afraid to turn him over. Footsteps thump behind her as the others catch up before freezing in apprehension. Claire takes a deep breath and exhales shakily before turning Jim over and holding him in her arms. “Jim?” She gasps, her voice shaking. He doesn’t react- doesn’t move. The stone of his cheek is charred a deep black and his eyes are closed, his chest still. _‘He’s not breathing,_ ’ Her mind whispers. 

She reaches a wary hand up and lightly rests it against his cold cheek, her thumb stroking the darkened stone. A sob itches the back of her throat and she whimpers quietly. _‘No, no, no- this can’t be happening…’_ Claire’s brown eyes scan his face carefully, begging for any twitch or movement that can tell her he’s alive- that _he’s not dead._ _‘Not Jim, please- not after all this.’_ Her hand on his back grips harder, the armor cold. They’ve done so much together, he’s done so much. And now _?_ Now at the end when they can finally say they’re safe- _now_ he’s… “Stay with me,” She begs desperately, shaking him. “Stay with me, _stay with me._ ” Jim has sacrificed everything for them, his humanity, his _life_. Doesn’t he deserve a happy ending? Doesn’t he deserve to keep living after everything he’s done for them?

_It’s not_ **_fair_ ** _._

Claire took so long to admit she likes him- _loves_ him, even. She loves everything about him, even the infuriating parts. She loves him _so much_ . She loves the sparkle in his blue eyes and his cocky grin when he knows he’s going to win, or his laugh that always goes higher at the end. She loves his voice when he’s talking and she loves the way he looks at her like nothing else matters. She loves how _selfless_ he is, though it gets him into dangerous situations. But that’s just how he is- a hero willing to give up everything to save the people he loves. She’s loved him for a long time, she knows. She was just too afraid to admit it. But she did! She’d finally said it! They had just started their relationship, couldn’t they have gotten a little longer?

A cold hand twists in her chest and pulls at her heart. _‘Wake up!’_ She screams, inside. _‘You’re not dead! Please,_ please _, wake up and do something! Tell me you’re okay! Tell me I’m being dramatic! Just,_ **_please_ ** _-‘_

_‘I need to see your smile again.’_

Claire’s eyes burn, the tears marking hot tracks down her cheeks. She can feel her world shattering around her, the pieces lost with Jim. There’s a great weight on her shoulders and she can feel it pushing down, crushing her. She sobs harshly, the noise ripping at her throat. It’s been so long since she’s cried and never before has she cried like this- with her heart breaking with every tear. _‘Why? What did he do?’_

_“Buenas noches.”_

_“You… speak Spanish?”_

_“Um- um… uh-“_

_“Do you like Shakespeare?”_

_“W-what?”_

_“Do you like Shakespeare?”_

_“S-Shakes-speare?”_

_“The school play- we’re having trouble getting boys to audition.”_

She sucks in a shaking breath through her teeth and smiles sadly at the memory, words coming to mind easier than her own name. “I shall be much in years before I again behold my Romeo,” Claire whispers, her hand continuing to stroke Jim’s cold cheek. Somehow, she feels this is her fault. She should have _done_ something. She should have helped- should have protected him like he’s protected them. Instead, all they did was sit there as Jim jumped in front of them. She’s not sure what she would have done, but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t have figured something out. “I doubt it not,” She continues. “-and all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses,”

He’s too young. He’s _sixteen_. Sixteen and he sacrificed himself to save them- to save the world. He had his whole life ahead of him, human or not. There were so many things they had planned to do together. But now… now it’s too late.

**“In our times to come.”**

Claire’s hand leaves Jim’s cheek and comes up to cover her mouth as she sobs again, her eyes blurring as the tears continue to run. She lunges forward and hugs him tightly, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him as close as possible. She buries her face in his dark hair, the strands tickling her cheek as she cries loudly. _‘I love you, Jim. I love you more than anything, so please, please come back. I’m sorry it took me so long to say it, I’m sorry it took me so long to become friends with you.’_

_‘I’m sorry I didn’t love you as much as I should have.’_

  
  


_“Whatever you are…_ **_I love you._ ** _”_


End file.
